Which came first? · Counterintuitive

Which came first: Singin' in the Rain or Thomas the Tank Engine?

Thomas the Tank Engine came first, in 1946 (first appears). Singin' in the Rain followed 6 years later, in 1952 (released).

Older Than You ThinkOlder Than You ThinkWhich came first? Sixteen pairs, from obvious to "wait, really?"Quiz11 seconds a pairMobile & desktop
Play Older Than You Think
  1. Second1952

    Singin' in the Rain

    film · released

    Gene Kelly is said to have filmed the rain dance in Singin' in the Rain with a fever.

    Checked against Wikipedia and Wikidata

  2. First1946

    Thomas the Tank Engine

    character · first appears

    Thomas the Tank Engine first appeared in a 1946 book by a clergyman, the Rev. W. Awdry.

    Checked against Wikipedia and Wikidata

All which-came-first pairs · About Older Than You Think · Quiz games

Years from Wikidata, each checked against the item’s English Wikipedia article on 2026-10-18. A year stands for what its label says: a founding, a first patent, a premiere.